Roundworms are not transmitted between people to other people. And they are not directly passed from dogs and cats to people. Affected dogs and cats shed eggs in their feces. The eggs mature into the infective stage of the parasite in the environment and are then swallowed with dirt that is either eaten on purpose pica or inadvertently through inadequate care and hygiene.
The infective larva do not progress to adult worms in people but the migrating larvae leave the intestines and find their way to other organs such as lungs, liver, or eyes and cause damage and disease in those locations. Note that wild animals, especially raccoons, commonly carry roundworms and can also be a significant source of environmental contamination in places where they share outdoor areas with us and with our pets.
Human infection with raccoon roundworms can be especially serious so do not feed or otherwise encourage raccoons around your home. People are not the definitive, natural host for roundworms which means that the roundworm lifecycle is not completed in humans.
We do not develop adult worms. In infected people, it is only the immature, migrating larvae that produce the illness. Fever, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing can occur as larvae move throughout various organs and systems in the body. That does not mean that those people have significant, clinical disease but it does mean that at some point in time those individuals were exposed to roundworm larvae which resulted in their bodies producing antibodies in an effort to clear the infection.
How is a roundworm infection treated? In people roundworm larvae infections are often self limiting since the worms cannot undergo their complete life cycle in humans. If illness does occur, as can be the case especially in young children, your physician will decide on the best course of treatment given the particular circumstances.
Since so many puppies and kittens are already infected at birth, it is very important that all of them are given appropriate worming medication at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age. Dogs and cats with these worms pass worm eggs or larvae in their feces poop.
Because pets will pass feces anywhere, these eggs may contaminate a large area quickly. These worm eggs and larvae can survive for weeks and even years in areas such as parks, playgrounds, and yards.
Roundworms enter the body when ingested as worm eggs that soon hatch into larvae. These larvae travel through the liver, lungs, and other organs. However, in some cases they can cause damage to tissue.
Sometimes they affect the nerves or even make their way to the eyes. In some cases, they may cause permanent nerve or eye damage, even blindness. Hookworm larvae typically move around within the skin causing inflammation and red, itchy tracks in the affected skin. This is called cutaneous skin larva migrans. One type of hookworm can make its way into deeper tissues and cause more serious damage to the intestines and other organs.
How can I protect my pets—and my family and myself—against worm infections? More information about safe and healthy pet ownership. The number of roundworm infections throughout the world is generally increasing but varies according to levels of poverty, natural disasters and human conflicts. The spread of infection is also increasing in line with increased travel and mobility. In areas where roundworms are common, children can be continuously infected.
As some worms die and are passed out in the stools faeces , others may be growing to take their place. Soil and water supplies may become contaminated with roundworm eggs in areas of poor sanitation. Many roundworms have a complicated life cycle that includes both main hosts large mammals such as humans or pigs and intermediate hosts small animals such as snails.
Therefore, some roundworm infections occur as a result of eating uncooked contaminated food. The eggs may survive for years in moist soil. In the soil the eggs develop into tiny young worms larvae.
Larvae can get into the human gut if you eat them with contaminated food. They pass into the bloodstream and are carried to other parts of the body - such as the lungs. Larvae develop further and then often travel back to the gut, where the larvae then grow into adult worms. If you have worms in your gut, the female worm lays many tiny eggs. You pass these out with the stools faeces. Control of roundworm infections is based on treatment with medication, improved sanitation and health education.
Treatments usually work well but wiping out eradication of roundworm infections from tropical countries presents a major challenge. However, some eradication programmes notably for guinea worm disease have been effective in reducing the burden of infection. In countries where roundworms are common, roundworms may be prevented by eating only cooked food and by avoiding green vegetables and salads. It is best if children do not play in areas of poor sanitation, or where human stool faeces is used as fertiliser.
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